Košarkaški klub Split (), commonly referred to as KK Split or simply Split, is a men's professional basketball club based in Split, Croatia. The club competes in the Croatian League.
Under its former name of KK Jugoplastika, the club was one of the most successful of the Yugoslav era, winning several national titles in the 1970s and the 1980s. By winning the FIBA European Champions Cup for three consecutive years, from 1989 to 1991, it is also one of the most successful clubs in the history of European basketball.
History The club's roots are found in Hajduk sports society's basketball section, which was established in 1945. After three years of mostly sporadic activity, in 1948, the club established its own organizational structure known as KK Hajduk, which was independent of sports society. In the next year, 1949, the club changed its name to KK Split.
After competing in the Yugoslav lower divisions for more than a decade, the club finally made it to the Yugoslav top-tier level Yugoslav First Federal League, for the 1963–64 season, and it stayed there until the breakup of Yugoslavia.
In 1967, the club adopted–for sponsorship reasons–the name Jugoplastika (Jugoplastika was a factory of clothing, accessories, and footwear products, made from thermoplastic materials and fiberglass; the original predecessor of AD Plastik), and kept it until the end of the 1989–90 season. In the next season, the club participated in the worldwide, national domestic, and European competitions, under the sponsorship of POP 84 (an Italian clothes company from Ancona).
KK Split is among the most successful clubs in European basketball history. They are, together with the first champions of the competition, Rīgas ASK, the only team to win the EuroLeague trophy three times in a row. In the years 1989, 1990, and 1991, the team, which was known back then as Jugoplastika and POP 84, with players like Dino Rađa, Toni Kukoč, Žan Tabak, Velimir Perasović and Zoran Savić, won the European top-tier level basketball trophy.
Apart from these successes, the club also reached the FIBA European Champions Cup final in 1972, and the FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1973. It lost both finals against the 1970s Italian League superpower Ignis Varese, and the Soviet Union League club Spartak Leningrad. KK Split also won back-to-back Korać Cup titles in 1976, against Chinamartini Torino, and in 1977, against Alco Bologna.
Players
Current roster
Depth chart
FIBA Hall of Famers KK Split Hall of FamersPlayers No. Nat. Name Position Tenure Inducted 7 Toni Kukoč F 1985–1991 2017
Honours
Total titles: 24
Domestic competitions Croatian League Winners (1): 2002–03 Runners-up (8): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24 Croatian Cup Winners (7): 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 2003–04, 2024–25, 2025-26 Runners-up (3): 1995–96, 1998–99, 2020–21 Yugoslav League (defunct) Winners (6): 1970–71, 1976–77, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 Runners-up (6): 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1979–80 Yugoslav Cup (defunct) Winners (5): 1971–72, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1989–90, 1990–91 Runners-up (5): 1969–70, 1974–75, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89 Yugoslav League 1. B (defunct) Winners (1): 1981–82
European competitions
EuroLeague Winners (3): 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 Runners-up (1): 1971–72 Final Four (3): 1989, 1990, 1991 FIBA Saporta Cup (defunct) Runners-up (1): 1972–73 Semi-finalists (1): 1974–75 FIBA Korać Cup (defunct) Winners (2): 1975–76, 1976–77 Semi-finalists (3): 1973–74, 1978–79, 1979–80 European Basketball Club Super Cup (semi-official, defunct) Winners (1): 1990 Runners-up (2): 1988, 1989 4th place (1): 1991
Worldwide competitions FIBA Intercontinental Cup 4th place (1): 1973 McDonald's Championship Runners-up (2): 1989, 1990 4th place (1): 1991
Other competitions FIBA International Christmas Tournament (defunct) Winners (1): 1989 Runners-up (1): 1990
Individual club awards Triple Crown Winners (2): 1989–90, 1990–91 Small Triple Crown Winners (1): 1976–77
Top performances in European competitions
Season Achievement Notes EuroLeague 1971–72 Final lost to Ignis Varese, 69–70 in the final (Tel Aviv) 1977–78 Semi-final group stage 5th place in a group with Real Madrid, Mobilgirgi Varese, ASVEL, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Alvik 1988–89 Champions defeated FC Barcelona 87–77 in the semi-final, defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 75–69 in the final of the Final Four in Munich 1989–90 Champions defeated Limoges CSP 101–83 in the semi-final, defeated FC Barcelona Banca Catalana 72–67 in the final of the Final Four in Zaragoza 1990–91 Champions defeated Scavolini Pesaro 93–87 in the semi-final, defeated FC Barcelona Banca Catalana 70–65 in the final of the Final Four in Paris 2000–01 Quarter-finals eliminated by Efes Pilsen, 69–95 (L) in Istanbul, 72–64 (W) in Split and 59–82 (L) in Istanbul FIBA Saporta Cup 1972–73 Final lost to Spartak Leningrad, 62–77 in the final (Thessaloniki) 1974–75 Semi-finals eliminated by Crvena zvezda, 88–76 (W) in Split and 63–81 (L) in Belgrade 1985–86 Quarter-finals 3rd place in a group with FC Barcelona, Scavolini Pesaro and Landis&Gyr Wien 1992–93 Quarter-finals 3rd place in a group with Sato Aris, Hapoel Galil Elyon, Benfica, Pitch Cholet and Budivelnyk 1993–94 Quarter-finals 3rd place in a group with Smelt Olimpija, Taugrés, Fidefinanz Bellinzona, Tofaş and Rabotnički 1994–95 Quarter-finals 3rd place in a group with Olympique Antibes, Iraklis Aspis Pronoia, Maes Flandria, Kyiv and Fidefinanz Bellinzona FIBA Korać Cup 1973–74 Semi-finals eliminated by Partizan, 97–108 (L) in Belgrade and 85–75 (W) in Split 1975–76 Champions defeated Chinamartini Torino, 97–84 (W) in Split and 82–82 (D) in Turin in the double finals of Korać Cup 1976–77 Champions defeated Alco Bologna, 87–84 in the final of Korać Cup in Genoa 1978–79 Semi-finals eliminated by Partizan, 96–97 (L) in Split and 96–98 (L) in Belgrade 1979–80 Semi-finals eliminated by Arrigoni Rieti, 75–86 (L) in Rieti and 104–97 (W) in Split FIBA Intercontinental Cup 1973 4th 4th place in a group with Ignis Varese, Sírio, Vaqueros de Bayamón and Lexington Marathon Oilers McDonald's Championship 1989 Final defeated Philips Milano 102–97 in the semi-final, lost to Denver Nuggets 129–139 in the final (Rome) 1990 Final defeated FC Barcelona Banca Catalana 102–97 in the semi-final, lost to New York Knicks 101–117 in the final (Barcelona) 1991 4th 4th place in Paris, lost to Montigalà Joventut 86–117 in the semi-final, lost to Limoges CSP 91–105 in the 3rd place game
The road to the European Cup victories
1975–76 FIBA Korać Cup Round Team Home Away 2nd Panellinios105–6163–78Top 16 Standard Liège78–7187–83 Berck90–6979–99 Mobilquatro Milano99–83100–101SF Sinudyne Bologna74–8392–79F Chinamartini Torino97–8482–82
1976–77 FIBA Korać Cup Round Team Home Away 2ndBye (as title holder)Top 12 Standard Liège88–8491–75 Canon Venezia102–8895–66SF IBP Stella Azzurra96–7176–87F Alco Bologna87–84
1988–89 FIBA European Champions Cup Round Team Home Away Top 16 Ovarense113–7694–87QF Limoges CSP87–7893–95 Scavolini Pesaro88–6575–88 Nashua EBBC86–7988–83 FC Barcelona84–7970–79 Aris94–8385–96 CSKA Moscow89–7777–91 Maccabi Tel Aviv85–8690–102SF FC Barcelona87–77F Maccabi Tel Aviv75–69
1989–90 FIBA European Champions Cup Round Team Home Away Top 16 MIM Livingston122–6597–84QF FC Barcelona Banca Catalana86–7373–79 Philips Milano95–8984–73 Limoges CSP103–8393–100 Commodore Den Helder105–7883–76 Maccabi Tel Aviv79–6193–87 Aris85–8980–79 Lech Poznań98–74120–73SF Limoges CSP101–83F FC Barcelona Banca Catalana72–67
1990–91 FIBA European Champions Cup Round Team Home Away Top 16 Galatasaray101–7097–86QF Scavolini Pesaro86–66106–105 Kingston Kings91–7289–87 FC Barcelona Banca Catalana87–9185–92 Aris93–6371–92 Bayer 04 Leverkusen85–84103–87 Maccabi Tel Aviv70–7265–103 Limoges CSP92–8884–73SF Scavolini Pesaro93–87F FC Barcelona Banca Catalana70–65
Between 1989 and 1991 Split dominated the FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague). Head coach, Božidar Maljković, put together arguably one of the most talented young team: featuring Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa, Žan Tabak, Velimir Perasović, Zoran Sretenović, and Luka Pavićević, who joined forces with veterans like Duško Ivanović. In 1989, Jugoplastika reached the Final Four, along with heavy favorites FC Barcelona, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and the competitive Aris. Kukoč had 24 points and Ivanović had 21, to lead Split past FC Barcelona, by a score of 89–77, in the semi-finals. Once in the final, Jugoplastika edged Maccabi 75–69, behind 20 points from Rađa, and 18 from Kukoč.
Jugoplastika met FC Barcelona again, in the 1990 FIBA European Champions Cup Final Four, in Zaragoza, Spain. FC Barcelona was backed by thousands of fans, and managed to get a brief 61–59 lead, late in the second half, but Kukoč buried a couple of critical three-pointers, that sent Jugoplastika on its way to its second straight title. Kukoč finished the game with 20 points, and the EuroLeague Final Four MVP award, in his magic hands.
In most places, one can find that the European champions in 1991, were called POP 84, but that was just the name of the sponsor under which the players of KK Split were playing that season. Despite being without Dino Rađa and Duško Ivanović, the team from Split was led by Toni Kukoč, and Zoran Savić, to their third consecutive title. Since the time when Rīgas ASK of the USSR League, won three straight European titles, in 1958, 1959, and 1960, no other team had won three in a row. And in the Final Four era, only two other teams besides Jugoplastika have been able to win two consecutively (Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004 and 2005, and Olympiacos in 2012, and 2013).
In 1991, the competition provided some big surprises, leading up to the Final Four at Paris. English club Kingston Kings of the British Basketball League, eliminated CSKA Moscow, and what is more, with a double victory, 93–77 at home and 72–74 in Moscow. German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen of the Basketball Bundesliga, made its debut in the third round, but the other faces were well known to everyone: FC Barcelona Banca Catalana ended first in that phase (11–3), POP 84 was second (9–5), and the other two Final Four teams would be Scavolini Pesaro and Maccabi Tel Aviv, tied at 8–6. Once again, the first team of the previous round did not get the title. In a rematch of the previous year's final – an occurrence that has not been repeated since – the team from Split won 70–65, almost identical to the 1990 score (72–67). Thanks to a great performance by Savić, who scored 27 points, Jugoplastika had an historic three–peat.
Seasons in Yugoslavia Split participated in the Yugoslav First Basketball League from the 1964 season, until the breakup of Yugoslavia, in summer of 1991 (except for 1981–82 season, when the club was relegated to the 2nd-tier level Yugoslav 1. B Federal Basketball League).
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Notable players
Branko Radović Ratomir Tvrdić Josip Vranković Roko Leni Ukić Nikola Vujčić Dino Rađa Damir Šolman Duje Krstulović Toni Kukoč Velimir Perasović Zoran Čutura Petar Skansi Ivica Dukan Željko Jerkov Damjan Rudež Žan Tabak Ivica Burić Aramis Naglić Luka Babić Andrija Žižić Nikola Prkačin Ermal Kuqo Krešimir Lončar Franjo Arapović Damir Rančić Teo Čizmić Franko Kaštropil Srđan Subotić Ante Grgurević Ante Toni Žižić Dragan Bender Ante Delaš Mario Delaš Josip Sobin Ivan Siriščević Bruno Šundov Toni Dijan Filip Krušlin Hrvoje Perić Petar Naumoski Luka Pavićević Duško Ivanović Marlon Garnett Larry Ayuso Jurij Zdovc Peter Vilfan Zoran Sretenović Zoran Savić Terrence Rencher Steve Colter Ray "Sugar" Richardson Avie Lester Jamon Gordon Damir Mršić Andrija Stipanović Dejan Ivanov
Players at the NBA draft